Early Train
by Athene
Summary: A mother worries about her children going away to school with a war on. Pre HBP. Complete.


Disclaimer: JKR is too busy with the upcoming release of HBP to write fanfiction.

The song is Can't Stop Loving You by Phil Collins.

I trust Albus with my life. **My** life. I shouldn't be this frantic. I am never, ever frantic, raising seven kids you can't be frantic, or you'd die of a heart attack before your youngest turned three. But I am, I am frantic. I don't want them to go. Four of my babies are leaving for school tomorrow, one isn't speaking to me, one is recruiting so far away, and one has come home just to risk his life.

_So you're leaving  
In the morning  
On the early train_

_Well I could say everything's alright  
And I could pretend to say goodbye_

My youngest boy is best friends' with the boy who is supposed to be our savior from the Dark Lord. I love Harry like a son, but part of me wonders if they will end up like my two brothers. I couldn't live if they ended up like Gideon and Fabian.

I can hear them thumping around upstairs. "Harry have you seen my Cannons jumper?" Comes from Harry and Ron's room. I hear a couple of explosions in the twins room, followed by a happy shout form one, and an injured cry of surprise from the other "forgot we hid those in there." And a loud sigh of "I wish we could do magic" floats down from Ginny, followed by Hermione's agreement "one simple summoning spell and all this searching would be over with."

Got your ticket  
Got your suitcase  
Got your leaving smile  
Oh, I could say that's the way it goes  
And I could pretend and you won't know  
That I was lying

Eventually they're all packed up. The twins nearly kill Ginny via flying suitcases and I'm angrier than Mrs. Black for a while. When Stirgus doesn't show up, I'm so nervous that I almost yell up at the kids to unpack, we're staying here. Instead I yell up something about the time and getting their bums down stairs before their tickets are worthless.

_  
'Cause I can't stop loving you  
No, I can't stop loving you  
No, I won´t stop loving you  
Why should I?  
_

That ridiculous bogart in the closet yesterday managed to unhinge me so much that I don't even put up a good fight when Sirius transforms and looks at me with his puppy dog eyes.

_  
We took a taxi  
To the station  
Not a word was said  
And I saw you walk across the road  
For maybe the last time, I don't know  
_

The walk to platform 9 ¾ is pleasant. It's a beautiful day, which Sirius takes full advantage of, jumping and rolling, and doing anything else in his power to get Harry to grin. Eventually we get to Kings Cross where Alaster, Tonks and I remove the feather-light spell from the trunks. Muggles may not notice much, but children do, and it looks as if Hogworts isn't the only boarding school beginning today.

_  
Feeling humble  
Heard a rumble  
On the railway track  
And when I hear the whistle blow  
I walk away and you won't know  
That I´ll be crying_

The whistle blows letting us know that it's the last call, unless we all want to attempt the flying car incident from three years ago. I grab blindly for last minute hugs; the twins struggle out of my grasp, Ginny gives me a kiss, Ron returns my hug, Harry is caught surprised and Hermione looks almost home sick and hugs me back. 

'Cause I can't stop loving you  
No, I can't stop loving you  
No, I won't stop loving you  
Why should I…

The six of them scramble onto the train, dragging their assorted luggage and critters behind them. Ron's grey pant leg is almost caught in the doors as they close. There is a release of air and the train is off with a final blow of its whistle.

_  
Even try  
I´ll always be here by your side (why why why)  
I never wanted to say goodbye (why even try)  
I´m always here if you change, change your mind  
_

The train gathers speed, first going so slow that I could keep pace with it if I wanted to, but soon going so fast that Sirius is loping too keep up.

_  
So your leaving  
In the morning  
On the early train  
But I could say everything's alright  
And I could pretend and say goodbye  
But that would be lying, no  
_

The train is small now, like a picture, and I can't help but let this tear fall. I hope that all of my babies come back to me, safe. But I know, I **know** that when they come back this year they'll no longer be my innocent babies. They will be jaded by war, and they will be changed.

_  
Because I can't stop loving you  
(can't stop loving you)  
No, I can't stop loving you  
(I won't stop loving you)  
No, I won't stop loving you  
Why should I even try  
Because I can't stop loving you  
(can't stop loving you)  
No, I can't stop loving you  
(that's all I can do)  
No, I won't stop loving you  
Why should I  
(why should I)  
Why should I  
(tell me why)  
Why should I even try_

But I will still love them.

Be Kind, Review.


End file.
